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CHENNAI -- Jabil Circuit reportedly will relocate its Nokia assembly programs currently in Chennai to China.

According to the report, Jabil will end its operations in the Sriperumbadur corridor by March 31. The fate of the site's 600-some workers is not clear. Jabil has not commented on the reports, and government officials have not received any preliminary paperwork from Jabil notifying the state of pending closures.

Jabil reportedly invested over $100 million in the facility.

ARLINGTON, VA -- Electronic component orders fell in January for the third consecutive month, according to the monthly index compiled by the Electronic Components Association (ECA). The 12-month average, comparing this year’s results to last year’s, continued a descent that began last summer.

“We might just have to get used to words such as ‘downslide’ for the next several months,” says Bob Willis, ECA president. “Electronic components are the building blocks for all things electronic, so our market is inextricably linked to the economy and spending. Like everyone else, electronic component manufacturers are looking to stay as healthy as possible until better times arrive.”

BANNOCKBURN, IL – A survey of electronics supply chain companies reveals more than 40% say customers have changed sourcing from Asia to North America or Europe in the past two years.

The IPC survey of executives and marketing professionals at EMS, PCB and suppliers in North America and Europe was conducted in November, and 50 companies responded.

According to IPC, 42% of respondents have seen some level of program migration back to the West.

“There has been some speculation recently within the electronic interconnect industry that some customers may be changing their sourcing patterns and shifting some business back to North America and Europe from Asia for a variety of reasons,” said Sharon Starr, director of market research. “The goal of the survey was to confirm this trend, estimate the financial impact on the industry and identify the drivers of the trend. Although the intent was not to produce statistically significant data, we definitely saw some evidence of regional shifts.”

The respondents estimated an average of 2.5% growth in their 2007 and 2008 business was attributable to this trend. Quality concerns was the issue cited most often as the primary driver of this trend. Other key contributors were transportation costs, currency exchange rates, long supply lines and communication difficulties, says IPC.

NEENAH, WI -- Plexus Corp. is headed to Romania. The EMS company has signed a deal to lease a 72,000 sq. ft. facility in Oradea, on the Hungary/Romania border, its first in the Eastern European nation.

MINNEAPOLIS – CyberOptics will lay off 24 employees and consolidate manufacturing in Minneapolis, the company said.

MINNEAPOLIS -- CyberOptics today said fourth-quarter sales plunged 55% year-over-year to $6.7 million as the economic slump hit the inspection equipment maker.

CHICAGO -- A federal judge has tossed out the Sherman Act claims in a dispute between Hon Hai Precision Industry (Foxconn) and Molex Inc. over a patent licensing contract between the two companies for a connector used with audiovisual equipment, but has let the other claims stand.

Judge Harry D. Leinenweber of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois ruled this week that Hon Hai had not alleged sufficient facts to state a plausible claim.

KAOHSIUNG, CHINA -- Hon Hai Group plans to hire some 500 software engineers by May for jobs at its new site in the Kaohsiung Software Technology Park.

Hon Hai chairman Terry Gou has reportedly pledged a minimum NT$1 billion in investments to create 3,000 jobs for software engineers in five years.

Permission was recently been granted to 79 companies to locate in the park.

LUXEMBOURG -- Elcoteq SE's December quarter net sales were 889.1 million euros, down 16% from a year ago but up 20% sequentially.

ATLANTA – Registration is now open for PCB East 2009, scheduled for April 27 - May 1 at the Westin Waltham-Boston in Waltham, MA.

Held annually on the East Coast since 1996, PCB East provides show attendees – PCB engineers, designers, fabricators and managers – with the most targeted conference in the PCB design industry.

PCB East 2009 highlights include a professional development certificate program with eight full-day tutorials; a three-day technical conference comprised of 24 workshops and half-day seminars; more new speakers – plus the return of numerous popular speakers; a one-day tabletop exhibition featuring the PCB industry's leading vendors; seven free technical sessions on Wednesday; Tuesday night's "Evening with Industry Experts," and other networking opportunities.

Attendees are urged to register by March 26 to receive up to a $100 discount on packages. Admission is free for the one-day tabletop exhibition, "Evening with Industry Experts," the exhibit floor reception and free technical sessions.

The show is sponsored by UP Media Group Inc., parent company of Circuits Assembly and Printed Circuit Design & Fab.

For more information or to register, visit www.pcbeast.com.

TAIPEI – MiTAC International reported preliminary January revenue of NT$3.5 billion, down 37% year-over-year.

EL SEGUNDO, CA -- The ongoing slump in electronics demand has prompted iSuppli to further cut its growth expectations for EMS and ODM companies.

The research firm lowered its forecast to a 9.9% drop for 2009, to $270.8 billion. That's a revenue drop of nearly $30 billion from 2008.